Latching hinge



Nov. 22, 1949 H. M. SHEALEY 2,488,882

LATCHING' HINGE Filed July 22, 1946 IN V EN TOR.

Patented Nov. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LATCHING HINGE Harry M. Shealey, Ilagerstown, Md.

Application July 22, 1946, Serial No. 685,534

This invention relates to a latching means for hingedly connected beam sections, and is a continuation-impart of my copending application Serial No. 685,535 for a folding crib filed of even date herewith.

An object of this invention is to provide a latch for locking hingedly connected beam sections together in their extended position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a spring pressed latch which is adapted to be carried by the adjacent sections of a hinged beam opposite from the hinge for locking the beam sections together in their extended position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a spring pressed latch of the kind to be hereinafter described so constructed that the latch may be readily engaged or disengaged by an operator without removing any parts which could be mislaid yet being of such a character that the latch may carry some of the loads on the beam and transmit loads from one beam section to the other in engaged position.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a spring pressed latch for hingedly connected beam sections which is very simple in construction and operation whereby the operation of the latch is evident to an operator without any instructions and which may be operated by persons unskilled in mechanical movements.

To the foregoing objects, and others which may hereinafter more fully appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more specifically referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but it is to be understood that changes, variations, and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed. a

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the latch on sections of a hingedly connected beam, the beam sections being broken away,

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the latch,

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a modified form of the latch.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral I designates generally a latch constructed according to an embodiment of my invention for attachment to adjacent sections of a beam, the sections being hingedly connected together intermediate their length.

Hingedly connected beam sections as I I and I2 in Figure 1 are frequently used for constructing many types of objects which are adapted to be folded or collapsed as the side panels of a col- 4 Claims. (01. 287-99) lapsible crib as described in my above mentioned copending application.

The sections I I and I2 of the beam are hingedly connected together in end abutting relation by a hinge I4, the plates of which are secured onto their respective sections and which is provided with barrels I5 which extend outwardly from one beam and a spring pressed keeper member I8 secured to one of the plates, as I6, on the outer side thereof.

The plate I6 is formed at its inner end with a pair, of longitudinally extending vertically spaced apart ears I9, the ends 20 of the ears I9 being bent outwardly to form keepers 20. The plate I6 is provided with openings 2I along the length thereof for attaching the plate to the beam and may be so located that the bolts 22 which attach the hinge plates to the beam may be used for attaching the latch plates also on the opposite side of the beam. The inner edge of the keepers 20 is so positioned as to be substantially aligned with the center of the hinge barrel I5 and the abutting endsof the sections I I and I2.

The plate I I is formed at one end with a longitudinally extending arm 24 intermediate the width of the end of the plate I! and is adapted to engage between the arms I9 in the latched position of the beam. On the outer end of the arm 24 there is formed or attached a wedge shaped member or keeper 25 having outwardly converging upper and lower sides and a rear side perpendicular to the arm 24 and plate II. The arm 24 is notched on its under side as at 26 whereby the arm 24 may overtie the plate I6 between the arms I 9 while the under sides of the plates I 6 and I! remain flush on the beam sections I I and I2 in the engaged or extended position of the beam. 7 The plate I! is also formed with openings 2| to be attached to the section I2 in the same manner as plate I6 is attached to section II. In the engaged position of the latch the member 25 is positioned inwardly past the keepers 2i] and is spaced inwardly therefrom.

A bolt supporting member or plate I8 is formed of a strip of metal or other resilient material and is secured at its outer end over the plate I6 by one of the attaching bolts 22. The inner free end of the arm I8 is formed with a bolt 21 extending inwardly to engage between the keeper 20 and the wedge shaped keeper 25. The surface of the bolt 21 is contoured to lie flush against the keepers 20 on one side and flat against the vertical flat side of the keeper member 25 thereby locking the two plates 16 and I! together in such a manner that the sections H and 12 may not be folded about the hinge 14 while the bolt 2'! is inserted between the keepers 20 and keeper member 25.

The bolt 21 is of such a Width as to simultaneously engage both arms 19 and the member 25 and is formed intermediate the width thereof with an inwardly sloping flat wall 28 with which the outer side of the wedge 25 is adapted to engage for moving the bolt outwardly as the .plates I6 and I! are slid together into latching position. When the plates are in completely latchedposition the Wedge 25 has moved past the -surface28 and the perpendicular surface of the wedge 25 engages the inner flat surface of the bolt 21. The resilient character of the plate l8 constantly zurges the bolt 2'! into latched position and a looped handle 29 is rockably fastened to the ends .of the bolt 2! for lifting the bolt from engaged .position by an operator. For reinforcing the free end of the plate l8 there is provided a short length of reinforcing doubler plate 30 which may beasecured to the plate I8 by rivets 3| or other suitable fastening means.

In the use and operation of this latch .10, the sections II and I2 are pivoted .about .the hinge toward the extended position of the beam and the wedge 25 engages the sloping surface 28 to move the bolt 21 outwardly until the wedge 25 has extended past the bolt 21 whereupon the bolt 2] is urged inwardly between the wedge :keeper 25 and keepers 29 to lock the sections .II and 1.2 in extended position. For unlocking the .sections H and .I2, it is necessary merely to lift the bolt .2] by .the handle 29 out of engagement with the wedge 25:.and keepers 20, whereupon the sections M and I2 may be moved to folded position about :thehinge l4.

Thehandle 29 is rockably attached to the ends of the bolt 21 whereby the handle 29 may be rocked to a substantially flush position relative :to-theplate 18 to eliminate any unnecessary protrusion from the beam, which may inadvertently be .contacted to disengage the latch.

A modified form of this latch is shown in Figure 3, wherein the plate 'l'la, having a forardly extending arm 24a, is formed with a keeper 25a bent upwardly and rearwardly opposite from the keepers 20a in place of the wedge 25 shown in Figure 2. The plate 18a may be modified similarly by rolling the free end thereof to form a tubular 'bolt 21a which is contoured to lie between the arcuate keepers 20a and 24a of the plates 16a and Ila respectively for locking the plates together against folding about the hinge M on the opposite side of the beam sections II and I2.

I do not mean to confine myself to the exact 4 details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A hinge latch of the kind described comprising a pair of cooperating flat plates fixed to adjacent end abutting beam sections, a pair of longitudinally extending keepers on one of said plates, a longitudinally extending arm on the other of said plates positionable between said keepers, a wedge shaped keeper on said arm inwardly of said first keepers, a spring pressed bolt supporting plate fixed at one end on said first plate, and a bolt on said spring pressed plate engageable between said keepers for locking said plates together.

,2. .A hinge latch of the kind described comprising a pair of fiat plates fixed to adjacent end abutting beam sections, a pair of keepers on one of said plates, a keeper on an end of the other of said plates adapted to be positioned between .said pair of keepers, a resilient flat plate over- :lying .one of said first mentioned plates, and a bolt on said resilient plate engageable between said keepers for locking said keepers together.

3. A hinge latch of the kind described comprising a pair of flat plates fixed to adjacent end abutting beam sections, a pair of keepers on one of said plates, a keeper on an end of the other plate adapted to be positioned between said pair of keepers in confronting relation thereto, .a resilient plate overlying one of said first mentioned plates, and .a bolt on said resilient plate engageable between said keepers for locking'said keepers together.

,4. .A jhinge latch of the kind described comprising a pair of plates for attachment to adjacent end abutting beam sections, a pair of spaced apart aligned keepers on one of said plates,an arm on the other of said plates adapted to be positioned between said keeperameans on said arm engaging said first plate, a keeper on said arm, a spring pressed plate overlying one of said first mentioned plates, and a bolt on said spring-pressed plate engageable between said keepers for locking said plates andbeam sections together.

HARRY M. SHEALEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 141,579 Mehu Aug. 5, 1873 623,540 Hall Apr. 25, 1899 646,347 Betty Mar.27, 1900 938,638 Caldwell Nov. 2, 1909 2,024,039 Harting -'Dec. 10, 1935 2,299,584 Low Oct. 20, 1942 

